Canada reports strong job growth

Ottawa: Canada reported strong employment figures Friday with its general election just 10 days away. The economy created 54,000 jobs in September and the unemployment rate dropped 0.2 point to 5.5 percent, Statistics Canada said.The numbers are good news for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of the Liberal Party, who is in a neck and neck race with Conservative rival Andrew Scheer in polls ahead of the October 21 voting.

In Friday´s jobs report the agency said the number of people looking for work increased but the unemployment rate still fell because of robust job creation.

This added to 81,000 jobs created in August. Canada´s unemployment rate is now at its lowest level in more than 40 years. The rise in September was fueled by gains in full time employment, Statistics Canada said.

The number of self-employed people rose, as did employees in the public sector but there were job losses in the private sector. The agency added that growth in employment was concentrated among both men and women aged 25 to 54.